Tolkien Tourism

Hello people! Today I’m uploading another post about tourism. This time is about Tolkien Tourism (a type of Experimental Tourism)

Before you start reading this, I wanna say that if any of you know how to apply for being a tour guide in these places, just leave a comment!!! I really want to be a guide there!

Tolkientourism can be describe as a phenomenon of fans of The Lord of the Ring or The Hobbit fictional universe travelling to sites of film- and book-related significance. It is especially notable in New Zealand, where it is credited as having raised the annual tourism numbers.

New Zealand is became a popular destination for tourism. In the official website we can find that a 2004 survey revealed that six percent of visitors to New Zealand (120 – 150,000 people) cited The Lord of the Rings Trilogy as being one of the main reasons for visiting New Zealand. One percent of visitors said that The Lord of the Rings Trilogy was their main or only reason for visiting, which related to around NZ$32.8 million in spend.

Locations such as Queenstown, Wellington, Auckland, Taranaki and Gisborne, have made appearances in silver screen productions like the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia,The Last Samurai, Evil Dead andThe Hobbit Trilogy. But New Zealand’s most popular set-jetting trail is inspired by The Lord of the Rings Trilogyand more recently The Hobbit Trilogy.

Hobbiton Movie Set Tours is top of the itinerary for ‘Rings’ and ‘Hobbit’ fans. On private farmland near the Waikato town of Matamata lies Hobbiton. Here visitors can enjoy their own slice of Middle-earth as they explore Hobbit holes, gaze up at the Party Tree and enjoy for a swift pint at the Green Dragon Inn.

These are the different tours:

–Tours depart daily from:

The Shire’s Rest 501 Buckland Road, Hinuera, Matamata:

Including transport to and from the movie set from The Shires Rest please allow approx. 2 hours.

Experience Hobbiton Movie Set at dusk with a guided tour of the Shire.

Your guide escorts you through the twelve acre site recounting fascinating details of how the movie set was created.

The tour concludes at The Green Dragon Inn. The guests will then be moved through into the Green Dragon dining room and treated to a banquet feast fit for a Hobbit. The tables will be full of traditional Hobbit fare and as is the tradition in The Shire, second helpings are encouraged.

To conclude this premium Hobbiton Movie Set experience, after dinner the guests will re-­join their guide to make their way back through the wandering paths of the Shire.

Evening Dinner Tour Prices

Adults $175.00

Youth (10-14yrs) $140.00

Child (5-9yrs) $100.00

Infant (0-4) $0.00

Price includes a tour of Hobbiton Movie Set, 1 complimentary beverage of our Hobbit Southfarthing range, a banquet dinner in The Green Dragon Inn and the evening tour back through Hobbiton Movie Set.

A tour of Hobbiton Movie Set, barbecue lunch and farm stay accommodation are highlights on this special package.

Start with a kiwi barbecue lunch at The Shires Rest Cafe. Then enjoy a tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Complete your kiwi style experience with our farmstay accommodation provided by private families throughout the Waikato region. You will be hosted and enjoy a three course dinner, featuring fresh NZ produce and a complimentary wine or beer. A continental or cooked breakfast is also included.

But New Zealand is not the only destination where Tolkien fans travel:

The Tolkien Society organises the Oxonmoot (an annual conference hosted by the Tolkien Society and brings together Tolkien scholars and students of all genres) in one of the Oxford (UK) colleges September each year.

In Spain about 3 years ago the Spanish Tolkien Society while celebrating the 20th anniversary, they decided to make an international event in Andalucia with all sort of exhibitions, activities, meetings… during the International Tolkien Day (3/25)